GREAT BRITISH CASTLES
BBC History Revealed|May 2023
Looking for a castle to visit? You could do no better than to add these spectacular structures to your checklist
SPENCER MIZEN
GREAT BRITISH CASTLES

HARLECH

GWYNEDD

A Welsh landmark bravery and the site of in the face of terrible odds

The song 'Men of Harlech' is as synonymous with Welsh culture as 'Bread of Heaven' and 'The Green, Green Grass of Home'. And at the heart of this rousing regimental march a tale of heroism and defiance - and one spectacular castle.

Sitting on a rocky crag in Gwynedd, Harlech is arguably the most spectacular of all the fortifications that Edward I built in north Wales during his campaign to subdue the country. The castle took just six years to build (in the 1280s) and is a classic example of the 'walls within walls' design.

The Men of Harlech referred to in the famous song are believed to be the Lancastrian defenders who, in the 1460s, held out against a massive Yorkist army during the Wars of the Roses before succumbing to overwhelming odds, the defenders (in the words of one poet) "shattered by the sound of guns".

Yet this was far from the first time that the castle had come under attack. In 1404, Owain Glyndŵr, iconic leader of the resistance to the English occupation of Wales, captured Harlech and made it his main residence and court. This was too much for the English to endure, and in 1409 Henry of Monmouth (later to be Henry V) laid siege to the castle. This time, Harlech's defenders were forced into surrender by a punishing bombardment. The castle fell under English control again but Glyndŵr escaped to fight another day.

KENILWORTH

WARWICKSHIRE 

Later owned by Elizabeth I's favourite, the fortress was once at the centre of a huge rebellion

Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av BBC History Revealed.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av BBC History Revealed.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BBC HISTORY REVEALEDSe alt
'Dickens's evocation of the fears, excitement and confusion of childhood is peerless'
BBC History Revealed

'Dickens's evocation of the fears, excitement and confusion of childhood is peerless'

DR LEE JACKSON ON WHY CHARLES DICKENS REMAINS RELEVANT TODAY

time-read
2 mins  |
Christmas 2023
THE AUTHOR GOES ABROAD
BBC History Revealed

THE AUTHOR GOES ABROAD

Dickens expanded his horizons and boosted his fan-base by venturing overseas - but global fame came with a cost

time-read
4 mins  |
Christmas 2023
REVIVING THE FESTIVE SPIRIT
BBC History Revealed

REVIVING THE FESTIVE SPIRIT

A Christmas Carol wasn't just a bestseller - it changed the way that Britons chose to mark the festive season

time-read
3 mins  |
Christmas 2023
GIVING THE POOR A VOICE
BBC History Revealed

GIVING THE POOR A VOICE

From Hard Times to Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens used his pen to help illuminate the lives of the less fortunate

time-read
3 mins  |
Christmas 2023
A JOURNEY THROUGH DICKENS'S LONDON
BBC History Revealed

A JOURNEY THROUGH DICKENS'S LONDON

The works of Charles Dickens are synonymous with visions of Victorian London. We talk to Dr Lee Jackson about the author's love of the capital, and the locations that most inspired him

time-read
10+ mins  |
Christmas 2023
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
BBC History Revealed

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

Dr Lee Jackson chronicles Charles Dickens's journey from down-at-luck teenager to titan of Victorian literature

time-read
6 mins  |
Christmas 2023
GIFTS, TREES & FEASTING
BBC History Revealed

GIFTS, TREES & FEASTING

We take a journey through the photo archives to reveal how Christmas and its many traditions have been celebrated over the years - and around the world

time-read
3 mins  |
Christmas 2023
WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY
BBC History Revealed

WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY

We explore the story behind an allegorical painting that celebrates the triumph of love over hate, peace over war

time-read
3 mins  |
Christmas 2023
HELLISH NELL
BBC History Revealed

HELLISH NELL

Malcolm Gaskill delves into the life of Helen Duncan - the fraudulent Scottish medium whose ectoplasm-filled seances saw her ending up on the wrong side of the law

time-read
6 mins  |
Christmas 2023
7 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE
BBC History Revealed

7 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE

Presidential historian Dr Lindsay M Chervinsky reveals some of the most surprising facts about the world-famous US residence

time-read
5 mins  |
Christmas 2023